Hinge construction



H. RODEMEYER HINGE CONSTRUCTION Aug. 14, '1934.

Filed Feb. 25, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l BRRYRMEMEYEL INVENTOR ATTORNEY Aug. 14, 1934. H. RODEMEYER HINGE CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 23, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet "2 BE". q. EB. I #3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY for rattle and at the sametimefashioned to offer Patented Aug. 14, I934 UNlTED STATES rein This invention relates generally to hinges and more particularly to improvements in the construction thereof tending to simplify and render 'the same more efficient.

One of the principal objects of this invention resides in the provision of a readily detachable pivotal connection between the cooperating hinge parts designed to secure the latter parts together in such a manner as to eliminate any tendency the minimum resistance to relative movement of the parts.

The invention contemplates securing the foregoing features aswell as reducing the number of parts of the hinge to a minimum by providing a construction wherein one of t the cooperating hinge parts is formed with a ball portion fashpioned to have a snap engagement with avcorreing inter-engaging portions aforesaicl for locking the corresponding hinge parts in assembled relationduring the normal operation of the hinge.

Another advantageous feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a hinge assembly wherein the socket portion of one of the hinge parts is formed with a plurality of slots therein arranged to increase the flexibility of the socket and, thereby facilitate engagement of the ball portion on the other hinge part therewith.

Another object of the present invention resides in the novel means provided herein for concealing the slots fashioned in the socket set forth in the previous paragraph and thereby enhance the general appearance of the hinge.

A further object of this invention which contributes materially to the commercial value and acceptability of the present invention resides in the provision of means on the hinge for limiting relative pivotal movement "of the cooperating parts thereof and as a consequence serving the purpose of a door stop. a

A still further advantageous feature of the present invention consists in the provision -of a hinge capableof being applied in such a manner that the pivotal connection between the cooperating hinge parts is completely concealed from view.

With the foregoing as well as other objects in view, the invention resides in the peculiar constructions of the various types of hinge assemblies illustrated herein which will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a hinge assembly constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view similar to Figure 2 showing the relative positions of the hinge parts just prior to assembling the latter and illustrating the means for normally locking the hinge parts in assembled position;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the construe- 7 'tion shown in Figure 1; 1

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view through a hinge assembly showing a slightly modified form of construction; v t

Figure '7 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 7-7 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a side elevational view of anothe modified form of hinge construction;

- Figure 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a door and jamb assembly illustratinganother modified form of hinge construction;

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 10-10 of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a sectional, view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 11-11 of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a sectional view showing a further modification of the present invention;

Figure 13 is also a sectional view showing still another modified form of hinge construction;

Figure 14 is a sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 14-14 of Figure 13.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings and with special reference to the modification of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, it will be noted that I have illustrated in Figure 1 a hinge assembly 15 comprising comaximum dianieter of the ball'so. as to effect a snap engagement of the ball within the socket. It will also be apparent from Figure 2 of the drawings that the radius of the interior wall of the socket is so determined with respect to the radius of the ball as to form a bearing for the ball throughout substantially the entire surface of 5 son of the ball and socket connection between' the hinge parts, one of the latter may assume an the latter and to also: secure the same under a slight tension within' the socket. The foregoingarrangement is such as to. not only provide a readily detachable pivotal connection between the cooperating hinge parts, but to also securethe parts together in such a manner as to eliminate any tendency for the ball to rattle withirl the socket. It will further be observed that by reaangular position relative to the other without in terfering with the hinge action. This latter fee.-

21 and 22- reduce the extent of expansion of the lip of the socket necessary to effect the desired snap engagement of the balltherewith and are so positioned as to register with each other only in the abnormal relative positions of the hinge parts so that after the latter are asembled and for receiving the ball in the manner hereinbemoved to their normal operating positions, the flats are out ofregistration, with the result thatthe parts are securely held together.

While the hinge assembly 15' may be formed in any suitable manner, nevertheless, I haveshown the same irr'Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, as

being developed from sheet metal. In detail, the hinge part.16 is preferably fashioned by bending a strip of relatively light gage stock to form a double thickness and by subsequently extruding the two thicknesses of stock at the bend toform'the spherical ball 18. The hinge part 1''! is similarly fashioned except that the stock is fashioned at the bend to form a socket fore set forth. In order to provide for attaching the hinge parts to the members with which the same are adapted to be employed, the innerthickness of metal of each hinge part, designated" by the reference characters 23 and 23' in Figure 5, is provided with an opening 24 of greater diameter than the screw 25 or other fastener ele-.

ment adapted to extend through the opening 24.

The outer thickness of metal of each of the hinge parts opposite the openings 24 is punched inwardly as at 26 to provide openings therethrough of suflicient dimension to receive the fastener elements 25 and to form recesses 27 in the hinge parts simulating counterbored portions -for receiving the heads of the fastener elements flush with the outer surfaces of said hinge parts.

In forming the hingefrom sheet metal, the 00-.

operating bearing surfaces of the ball and socket portions are preferably coined so as to increase the density of the metal'and thereby produce wear resisting surfaces.

The modification illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 differs from the foregoing construction in that the cooperating hinge parts 30 and 31 are formed of relatively heavy gage stock and the ball 32 on the hinge part 30-is "retained under a slight tension in the socket 33 formed in the hinge part 31 by means of a spring retainer 34. The spring retainer 34is located within an annular recess 35 formed in "the inner surface of the socket 33 adjacent. the lip of the latter. The depth of the recess 35 is such as to provide suflicient expansion of the spring retainer 34 to permit the ball 32 to be extended therethrough into the socket, and the location'of the recess in the socket is 9.0- v curately predetermined so as to support the spring in a position to maintain the ball in the socket under a slight tension.

4 The construction illustrated in Figure 8 differs from the modification illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 in that the spring retainer 34 is omitted and the ball 36 is snapped into engagement with the socket 37 in the same manner as pointed out lnconn ection with the first described form of the invention. The hinge shown in Figure 8,

' however, is preferably formed of relatively heavy gage stock and accordingly, in order to obtain the desired flexibility of the side walls of the socket, the latter walls are formed with a plu- .rality of circumferentially spaced slots 38 th'ere-' in. The; slots extend inwardly from the lip of the socket and cooperate to form a plurality of spring fingers 39 capable of 'suflicient deflection to permit the passage of the ball past the lip into the socket and to retain the ball in assembled relation with the socket under a slight tension. The spring fingers and slots in the socket are normally concealed by means of a cover 40 fashioned tosnap over the outer surface of the 1 10 socket as clearly shown in Figure 8.

In Figures 9 to 11, inclusive, I have shown a hinge construction capable of being applied in such a manner that the joint between the cooperating hinge parts is thoroughly concealed from view. In illustrating the present modification of hinge construction, I have shown the same as applied to a door 42 and a jamb- 43. In detail,

. the edge of the jamb 43 adjacent the swinging edge of the door 42 is provided with a recess 44 12d within which the hinge part 45 is secured to the jamb by means of the fastener elements 46. The cooperating-hinge part 4'! is provided with a body portion 48 arranged within the recess 44 substantially flush with the outer side wall 49,125 of the iamb' 4 3 and having an inwardly extending attaching flange 50 secured to the edge of the door 42 adjacent the jamb by means of the fastener elements 51. The body portion ,48 is formed with an inwardly extending socket por-. 136 tion 52 fashioned to have a snap engagement with a ball 53 formed integral with and extending upwardly from the hinge part 45. In the event the socket portion 52 is formed of relatively heavy gage stock, the same may be slotted as at 54 to facilitatesnap engagement with the ball in the same manner as hereinbefore described in connection with the modification shown in Figure 8. As will-be observed from Figure 9, the recess 44 is preferably provided with an upwardly projecting extension 55. of suflicient dimension to permit the necessary vertical travel of the hinge part 47- relative to the hinge part 45 upon assemblng or removing the former from the latter. The extension 55 is normally concealed by means of an auxiliary plate 56 secured to the jamb substantially fiush with the outer surfaces of the latter and hinge part 48. The exterior surfaces of the plate 56 and body portion 48 of the hinge part 47 may be finished in the same manner as the jamb and door so as to simulate in appearance portions of the latter.

The construction of hinge shown in Figures 9 to 11, inclusive, is such as to permit readily employing a door stop in association therewith. As shown particularly in Figure 10, an extension 60. is provided on the hinge part 47 beyond the pivotal connection between the latter and cooperating hinge part 45 for engaging a plunger 57 on the latter part upon swinging the door to its open position. The plunger 57 is slidably mounted within a counterbored boss 58 formed on the hinge part 45 inwardly of the ball 53 and movement thereof within the boss by the extension 60 is resisted by a spring 61 located within the boss in rear of the plunger. The foregoing arrangement provides a relatively simple and inexpensive door check capable of yieldably restricting the extent of movement of the door 42 to its open position.

In the modification illustrated in Figure 12, I have shown the manner in which the basic principles of the hinge assemblies specified above may be employed for swivelly connecting a swinging door 62. to its support. In detail, the door 62 is provided with a fitting 63 having a portion embracing the lower edge of the door and formed with a spherical ball 64 projecting below the latter edge of the door for snap engagement with a socket 65 suitably secured to a fixed support. The upper end of the door (not shown) may be similarly connected, thereby providing a compact and relatively simple swivel connection between the door and its associated supports.

In the construction shown in Figure 13, I have illustrated the manner in which my improved hinge construction may be employed for hingedly connecting one edge of a door to a jamb in such a manner as to provide for swinging movement of the door both inwardly and outwardly. In detail, the connection illustrated herein comprises essentially three parts 66, 67 and 68 compactly located between the adjacent edges of the jamb and door. The part 66 is preferably secured to the edge of the jamb and is provided with a ball 69 projecting beyond the outer side of the jamb for snap engagement with a socket '70 formed on the outer end of the connecting part 68. The inner end of the connecting part 68 is preferably formed with a ball '71 similar to the ball 69 and adapted to snap into engagement with a socket 72 formed integral with the hinge part 67 and projecting beyond the inner sides of the door and jamb.

While several embodiments of the present invention have been hereinbefore described, it will be noted that all of the modifications are similar in basic principle in that each of the same incorporate cooperating hinge parts having corree sponding ball and socket .portions adapted to snap into engagement with each other to provide a readily detachable swivel connection between the hinge parts. It will further be apparent from the preceding description that in each of the embodiments of the invention, the spherical ball portions are held in engagement with the, sockets under a tension sufiicient to prevent rattling -of the parts, but insuflicient to appreciably effect relative swinging movement of the hinge parts. In addition to the foregoing, it is to be noted that the socket portions of each of the foregoing hinges are formed with serrations therein for retaining a suitable graphite compound or other permanent lubricant.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A hinge having a pair of hinge parts and having a readily detachable pivotal connection between said parts comprising a ball projecting from one of said parts and a socket on the other of said parts having a portion forming a recess corresponding in shape to the ball and having a portion of less diameter than the maximum diameter of the ball formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots therein to provide for snapping the ball into the recess, and a cover for said socket fashioned to conceal said slots.

2. A hinge having a pair of hinge parts and having a readily detachable connection between I said parts comprising a ball projecting from one of said parts, a socket co the other of said parts corresponding in shape to the ball for receiving the latter and having a portion adjacent the lip thereof of less diameter than the ball and engageable with the ball to frictionally hold the latter in said socket, said lip formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots providing for snapping the ball into engagement with the socket, and said slots having a width substantiallyless than the width of the metal therebetween so as to provide the maximum bearing surface on the socket for engagement with the ball. r

3. A hinge having a pair of hinge parts and having a readily detachable connection between said parts comprising a spherical ball projecting from one of said parts, a socket orrthe other of the hinge parts receiving the ball providing a substantially continuous bearing surface for engagement with the ball and providing a universal connection between the hinge parts, said socket teriorsurface of the socket.

HARRY RODEMEYER. 

